This is a blog written by my teammate Mark about what some of my teammates have been doing this month….
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When the possibility of ministering to
prostitutes was first mentioned, I (Mark) wasn’t really interested. I told
myself that I had nothing to say and nothing in common with
prostitutes so I couldn’t be used by God to minister in this way.
After contemplating my initial thoughts, I realized that they were
lies and that I can tell anyone from
any background that
they are loved and were created by God. Okay, so one
lie rebuked, but I still wasn’t thrilled by the idea of prostitute
ministry and didn’t really think much about it.
prostitutes was first mentioned, I (Mark) wasn’t really interested. I told
myself that I had nothing to say and nothing in common with
prostitutes so I couldn’t be used by God to minister in this way.
After contemplating my initial thoughts, I realized that they were
lies and that I can tell anyone from
any background that
they are loved and were created by God. Okay, so one
lie rebuked, but I still wasn’t thrilled by the idea of prostitute
ministry and didn’t really think much about it.
About a week
later, I found out that the upcoming week of ministry would not be to
women, but to gay men. I had the same thought in my head of having
nothing to say and nothing in common with these men. Once again,
another lie that had to be rebuked because I do have something
to say. I have knowledge of a love and a relationship that is so
much bigger and more important than myself.
later, I found out that the upcoming week of ministry would not be to
women, but to gay men. I had the same thought in my head of having
nothing to say and nothing in common with these men. Once again,
another lie that had to be rebuked because I do have something
to say. I have knowledge of a love and a relationship that is so
much bigger and more important than myself.
Thursday evening
as we stepped off the subway, we committed the evening to the Lord.
We had no idea how the evening would look or what to say and how to
say it. We met with our contact and she gave us a brief synopsis
before we bathed ourselves and our location in prayer. “Most of
the men carry knives,“ she said, “but the Lord always protects
us!”
as we stepped off the subway, we committed the evening to the Lord.
We had no idea how the evening would look or what to say and how to
say it. We met with our contact and she gave us a brief synopsis
before we bathed ourselves and our location in prayer. “Most of
the men carry knives,“ she said, “but the Lord always protects
us!”
Our first couple
of encounters with people in the park were short lived as they had no
interest in hearing from us about Jesus. We crossed the street and
approached a group of about eight guys and asked them if we could
share with them. To my surprise, they agreed. I prayed to myself,
“Okay, God. Now is the time. I need a word from you for these
men.” My teammate Jeff started speaking and our translator jumped
right in. It was hard to understand what was going on because they
were all talking at the same time and our translator was having a
hard time translating. Eventually, our translator shared with the
men only in Hungarian so I began to pray more earnestly.
of encounters with people in the park were short lived as they had no
interest in hearing from us about Jesus. We crossed the street and
approached a group of about eight guys and asked them if we could
share with them. To my surprise, they agreed. I prayed to myself,
“Okay, God. Now is the time. I need a word from you for these
men.” My teammate Jeff started speaking and our translator jumped
right in. It was hard to understand what was going on because they
were all talking at the same time and our translator was having a
hard time translating. Eventually, our translator shared with the
men only in Hungarian so I began to pray more earnestly.
Our contacts and
the women from my team came over to pray for the group, but ended up
scaring off all of the guys but one. I initially thought this was
negative, but it was a blessing in disguise because the one guy who was really
interested in what we had to say was no longer being distracted by
the others. He told us, “A couple of days ago my mom told me that
God was going to send someone to tell me about Jesus. She also said,
‘I think it’s going to be on Thursday.'” I danced a little jig in
my heart and said to myself, “Heck, yea. That’s my God and that’s
the God we are here to tell you about!” He exchanged contact
information with our translator and is interesting in going to church
and finding out more about Jesus and the relationship that He has to
offer.
the women from my team came over to pray for the group, but ended up
scaring off all of the guys but one. I initially thought this was
negative, but it was a blessing in disguise because the one guy who was really
interested in what we had to say was no longer being distracted by
the others. He told us, “A couple of days ago my mom told me that
God was going to send someone to tell me about Jesus. She also said,
‘I think it’s going to be on Thursday.'” I danced a little jig in
my heart and said to myself, “Heck, yea. That’s my God and that’s
the God we are here to tell you about!” He exchanged contact
information with our translator and is interesting in going to church
and finding out more about Jesus and the relationship that He has to
offer.
I learned a
valuable lesson on a deeper level Thursday night. I have so much
more in common with these men than I ever thought possible. God put
in me the same desire to love and be loved that He put in them. God
loves me no more or no less than He loves them. It was awesome to be
able to share the love of Christ that He so graciously has shown me.
One of the men even said, “You guys are so nice to come up and talk to
us – and you don’t even want anything from us.”
valuable lesson on a deeper level Thursday night. I have so much
more in common with these men than I ever thought possible. God put
in me the same desire to love and be loved that He put in them. God
loves me no more or no less than He loves them. It was awesome to be
able to share the love of Christ that He so graciously has shown me.
One of the men even said, “You guys are so nice to come up and talk to
us – and you don’t even want anything from us.”
